Like most democratic countries around the world, the United States has had its share of problems with hate speech. There has been much controversy over whether hate speech should be regulated. When analyzing the concept of freedom of expression, one cannot ignore that it does not occur in a vacuum. There have been all kinds of debasement, ranging from ethnic, religious, racial and gender stereotyping. Freedom of expression inherently includes all other fundamental human rights. Therefore, as natural rights recognize, other rights and personality should absolutely be included within this scope of protection. Hate speech constitutes a limitation on freedom of expression because it not only subjects the victim to deliberate psychological and physical harm, but also silences them. Therefore, to prevent hate speech, freedom of expression must be promoted. Freedom of expression is a human right. It is an extension of our autonomous nature and action. Free speech means that everyone has a level platform, without privileging one voice above the others. It is a right for all, not only for those who are the most vocal or eloquent, but also a freedom to which all should have access. This means that everyone has equal weight when it comes to getting their ideas across. The goal of free speech in a democracy is to enable progress and give citizens the opportunity to question authorities in a way that benefits society. Dissent is welcome in free speech; there is no wrong answer in how you express yourself, as long as you don't respect the right of others to do the same. When it comes to issues of hate speech, the right to insult someone is not what is at issue. It is the fact that hate speech silences others, showing obvious helplessness of the other in a way that they can... middle of paper ...... First Amendment. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1993. Bleich, Erik. “Free Speech versus Racist Hate Speech: Explaining the Differences Between High Court Regulations in the United States and Europe.” Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies40, no. 2 (February 2014): 283-300. Jacobs, James B. and Kimberly Potter. Hate crimes: criminal law and identity politics. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998. Heumann, Milton, Thomas W. Church, and David P. Redlawsk. Hate Speech on Campus: Cases, Case Studies, and Commentary. Boston: Northeastern University Press, 1997. Lawrence, Frederick M. Punishing Hate: Bias Crimes under American Law. Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1999. Matas, David. Bloody words: hatred and freedom of expression. Winnipeg: Bain & Cox, Publishers, 2000. Tedford, Thomas L. Free Speech in the United States. New York: Random House, 1985.